Vacuum refrigerator



- UNITED STATES'PATE T OFFICE,

BERNHARD N. J. JACOBS, or cHIoAGo, iLLiNois.

VACUUM REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,*788, dated December 10, 1889.

Application filed August 20, 1889. Serial No. 321,&33, (No model.)

To all whom, it may conccrn:

Be it known that I, BERNHARD N. J. JAooBs, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinVacuum Refrigerator-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to refrigerator-boxes for cooling wine or beer and for storing perishable provisions during warm weather.

My invention has for its object to arrange a refrigerator-box intended for mercantile and domestic uses with a hermetic Vessel in the top thereof to contain a liquid-such as salt-water-and to connect with such vessel an air-suction pump by which to exhaust the air froni such vessel, and thereby to lower the temperature of the liquid to the freezingpoint, when the bottom of such vessel will cool the atnosphere in the box; and with these objects in View my invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafterdescribed and specifically claimed.

- In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an elevation of a refrigerator-box provided with my improvements; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the same; and Fig. 3, a similar section, on a larger scale, of the lower 'portion of the punp cylinder and plunger, showing the arrangenent of thesuction and discharge valves.

Correspondin g letters in the several figures of the drawngs designate like parts.

A denotes a refrigerator-box of any ordinary Construction, bein g arranged in the shape of a closet, with double walls, preferably filled between with charcoal or mineral wool or any other non-conducting or insulating material.

The top or ceiling of this box consists of a cast-metal chamber composed of two sections B and C, provided with flanges at the-ir meeting edges for rigidly and hermetically securing the same together by a series of bolts b.

The lower section B of this chamber is corrugated for exposing an increased surface to the air in the box, while the upper section C has ribs c for strengthening the same against collapsing. Upon the raised center of section C of the chamber is secured by its lower fiange the pump-cylinder D, into which is snugly fitted the bucket-shaped plunger E, packed against leakage by a stuffing box d and gland@ in the upper part of cylinder D. Below this pump-oylinder D is provided in section O of the chamber a round opening, into which is snugly fitted, to be rigid therewith, the seat f for conical suction-valve g. The plunger E is screw-threaded in its cono tracted bottom for securing therein .the seat h for conical Valve t', the stem j' of which valve being guided in the central hub of a ring k, screwed into the upper portion of the contracted bottom end of plunger E from the top. This ring k is also provided with an eyebracket l, for pivotallyconnecting the lower end of pitnan m, the upper end of which being pivoted upon the crank-pin 77, of a disk 0, mounted upon one end of a shaft journaled in 7o standard-hearing F, rigidly Secured upon section C of the chamber, and upon the opposite end of this shaft is rigidly mounted a fiy-' wheel 1), that is to be provided with a crank w for turning it by hand; Into section C of the chamber is also tapped a pipe q, supporting a funnel a" for filling the chamber B O, and provided with a stop-cock s, and through one side, near its top, the section C of the chamber is tapped for a faucet t, for the pur- So pose of discharging a surplus of liquid therefrom.

The chamber B C being, filled with water (preferably salt-water) from f unnel 'r as much as faucet t will allow, the operator will turn fly-wheel p, thereby reciprocating the punpplunger E and exhausting the air from chamber B G, whereby the liquidin such chanber will be cooled to the freezing-point, which coldness will be transmitted to the airin the 9c box and to the contents thereof.

The bottom B of the chaniber may be corrugated in both directions, so as to provide a series of nipples or pockets for still increasing thecooling-surface of the ceiling of the box, and the punp may beplaced on the floor or anywhere distant from the chamber B C, and connected therewith by a' pipe for exhausting the air therefrom.

. The section C of the chamber and the lower oo part of the pump are inclosed in a box G, that may be packed with some non-conducting and insulating material for preveuting contact with the outer atncsphere and the escape &16,788

box, such ehanher having connected an ;Lir-

exhausting pump and being provided wit h a funnel r, With stop-coeks s, and With a gegecock t, all substzmtialiy as set fOl'h, 'for the purpose specified.

In testimony Whereof I affix my signature n presence of two witnesses I BERNHARD .N. J. JACOBS. NVitnesses:

WILLIAM H. LoTz,

OTTO LUEBKERT. 

